Christmas Time

Silent reflections of

latter day Saints,

Kings and martyrs

in Christian lore.

 

Magi bearing gifts,

led by a star,

instructed by Herod,

malevolence from afar.

 

Caspar, Melchior and

Balthazar in myth,

reverence of a child,

birth of new belief.

 

Vaclac the good,

betrayed by kin,

Wenceslas, canonised, sing,

Tempus adest floridum

 

Nicholas of Myra’s secret,

lifetime giving gifts,

Sinterklaas of children,

a kindness of strangers.

 

Stephen of the Feast,

named of crown, wreath,

stoned for blasphemy,

witnessed Heaven’s Gate.

 

Dickensian ghosts summon their

cold-hearted host,

in a gas-lit London,

of carol singers and poor.

 

And all these figures,

from bygone times,

of holly, ivy and blood,

our snow filled dreams.

 

Oh Tannenbaum in

dark winter days.

Yule logs on fires,

angels and wings.

 

The kindness of spirit

and love of others,

transcending desire

of materialistic want.

 

This is the meaning of

Christmas in our time.

 

*Image is my own (tree)